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38 BULLETIN 558, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
VARIATION IN CROP YIELDS. 
In some localities, owing to climatic conditions or to the whims of 
growers, a large variation in the volume of grain marketed is shown 
from year to year. Sometimes a community producing enough grain 
to insure exceptional business one year will yield almost nothing the 
succeeding 12 months. The quality of the crop at harvest sometimes 
is so inferior that it is impossible for the dealers to market it with a 
certain profit. Some sections market practically their entire crop 
immediately after harvest, the balance of the year being spent in 
unprofitable leisure. In view of all these circumstances, when seek- 
ing a location, a dealer should be certain that there will be a sufficient 
volume of continuous business. He must weigh the possibility of 
keeping the house open part of the time or combining with his busi- 
ness some desirable side line. 
INADEQUATE CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPMENT OF ELEVATORS. 
Many of the older country elevators and even some new houses are 
inefficient and poorly constructed. The loss through the use of im- 
properly constructed cleaning machinery and inaccurate scales has 
been shown. Another handicap under which many elevators labor 
is the lack of sufficient wagon dumps, elevators, and bins-to keep. 
separate the various grades, which would expedite the handling of 
the grain. The power equipment should be considered carefully. 
Where it becomes necessary to have steam for drying, it probably 
is desirable to operate a steam plant, but otherwise the cost usually 
can be reduced by the use of an internal-combustion engine. At some 
places electric power can be had at a minimum cost. 
UNCERTAINTY OF GRADES. 
At the present time uniform grades have not been established for 
all grains, and for those that are not the dealer must be acquainted 
with the grades of each market which is accessible to him in order 
to place a certain lot of grain to the best advantage. Sometimes 
the quality of grain deteriorates in transit. It may become sour, 
musty, or heated from being confined in a practically air-tight car, 
it may be delayed in transit, or, after arrival at destination, some 
time may elapse before it reaches the unloading elevator. Possibly 
a month after the shipment of the grain the buyer finds it out of 
condition. Dealers are compelled to suffer the losses arising from 
this source, although when the delay in transit is excessive it is pos- 
sible usually to recover from the railroad. Many of the exchanges 
have deemed it unjust to fix the responsibility for unloading delays 
arbitrarily upon the dealer, and have adopted regulations requiring 
buyers to call for reinspection within 24 to 48 hours after the arrival 
of the grain or to bear any ensuing loss. 
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